Liquid crystal devices being driven in a “vertical alignment (VA) mode” have been suggested. A technique of disposing a retardation film to be oblique about a liquid crystal light valve has been suggested to improve contrast in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A-2006-11298.
However, when the retardation film is obliquely disposed like the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A-2006-11298, it is necessary to tilt the retardation film along the alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules. In this case, since a space for tilting the retardation film is limited in a projector in view of a cooling effect by circulation of air, there are difficulties in enhancing the contrast. Moreover, a mechanism for tilting the retardation film may be complicated and difficult to technically adjust the tilting of the retardation film in the assembly process thereof.